Frisian

[ frizh-uhn, free-zhuhn ]

adjective

1. of or relating to Friesland, its inhabitants, or their language.

noun

1. a native or inhabitant of Friesland or the Frisian Islands.
2. the Germanic language most closely related to English, spoken in Friesland and nearby islands. : Fris., Fris
3. Chiefly British.
   1. Friesland.
   2. Holstein ( def 1 ).

Frisian

/ ˈfrɪʒən /

noun

1. a language spoken in the NW Netherlands, parts of N Germany, and adjacent islands, belonging to the West Germanic branch of the Indo-European family: the nearest relative of the English language; it has three main dialects
2. a native or inhabitant of Friesland or a speaker of the Frisian language

adjective

1. 1. of or relating to the Frisian language or its speakers
   2. of or relating to Friesland or its peoples and culture

Word History and Origins

Origin of Frisian¹

1590–1600; < Latin Frisi ( ī ) the people of a Germanic tribe + -an

Word History and Origins

Origin of Frisian¹

C16: from Latin Frīsiī people of northern Germany

Example Sentences

I state this, because I doubt whether the Dutch forms in -n, could well be evolved out of the Frisian in -r, or -a.

From Project Gutenberg

There is plenty of Frisian verse in general; but little enough of the particular Frisian of Heligoland.

From Project Gutenberg

The process, however, by which we measured the original extent of the Frisian area is applicable to that of the Northmen.

From Project Gutenberg

Landwards, the loop of railway round the Frisian peninsula would form the line of communication in rear of the seven streams.

From Project Gutenberg

But this renders very difficult the assumption of Bugge and his followers that the word "Eoten" is synonymous with "Frisian."

From Project Gutenberg